San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-08-25
NO. 36.
ALLIGATOR HUNTING.
SHOOTING A FEMALE NURSING A
NEST OF YOUNG ONES.

Lively BIT of Experience Down IN
Fiarida-Rapid Retreat from Wound
ed Mother Anigstor-A Shot Just IN
Time.
Have you ever enjoyed an alligator
hunti IL you have not my experience
may be interesting. Before starting out
was told that alligator hunting was an
exciting sport found 1t particularly so.
The other day we chartered steam
launch for the trip. Our party consisted
Of five, who had never seen an alligator In
his native home, and the captain of the
launch, who was an old sportsman In al
ligator hunting. We were armed with
good rifles and had full supply Of am
munition. Our destination was Lake Cy-
press and Cypress river, where reports
said the alllgators were plentiful. The
trip across the lake was very fine, and in
the course OF an hour we arrived at tho
mouth Of Distan canal, which connects
the Cypress lake with Cypress river, and
is about ten miles long. 1t Ia cut through
a country Of rich tropical growth. In an
hour and half we reached smaller
lake, and on the opposite side was tho
wished for Cypress river. Our trolling
line had resulted In fine mess of fish.
Finding good camping ground wo
landed, built fire and began cooling the
catch, which, with our other stores, fur
nished an excellent meal.
We then pushed our way up the river,
and were soon among tho alligators. The
first we saw was good sized creature
over eight feet long, and I am not likely
to forget it for some time. The animal
lay apparently asleep on the bank among
the tall grass and palmetto bushes. Tho
captain raised his rifle and blazed away.
His aim was good and the ball struck the
right eye. Instead Of making for the
woter, as wounded alligators generally do,
the creature lay quite still. We nll be-
lieved 1t dead, and working the boat to
shore, we leaped ON the bank with shout
of victory. One of the party and myself
caught the prize by the tail and cndeav-
ored to pull 1t further up the bank while
we hailed our companions. But the alli-
gator was not dead. With one flip of the
tail 1t sent us heels upwards In less time
than it takes to write the fact The rest
of the party began to beat n hasty retreat
toward the boat while was picking my
self up.
A RUN FOR DEAR LIFE.
At that moment the captain shouted to
run for dear life, as we had chit hornets
nest.' The alligator was female and
was nursing nest of young. The rest OF
the party got safely on the boat, but as /
was nearest the wounded alligator her
sound eye soon detected me, and the chase
began. With wide open mouth bristling
with sharp teeth she made for me, and /
took to my heels BY some means tho an-
imal got between the boat and me and my
retreat was cut Off. was not long In dis
covering that was on q small island.
The alligator appeared every moment to
grow larger and larger to my distorted
vision. / was fairly cornered, and at last
took to the water, forgetting In my fright
that IN alligator is as formidable In the
water rs on land As dashed into tho
river Mrs. Alligator was close upon me.
/ expected every moment to have those
wide open jaws shut about my body.
There / stood, up to my waist In the river,
and within six feet of me was the mad
dened alligator, one eye running with
blood, the other like burning coal /
could have shot her easily, but found that
my rifle was not loaded and oil my am
munition was In the boat.
/ was in despair and considering wheth-
er TO swim to the boat or club my rifle and
fight, when heard rifle crack, followed
quickly by another, and the alligator was
q corpse The party then landed built o
a fire, and dried my clothes while tho
Others atc their dinner. Somehow l did
not have much appetite left We re-emr
barhed and started for more alligators. /
did not leave the boat after that, but with
the rest did some fair shooting We
killed nine, piled an the carcasses iu tho
row boats behind the launch, and took
them down the river to our first camping